Binge-Eating Disorder May Be Tougher to Kick Than Previously Thought

The most prevalent eating disorder in the U.S. may be harder to kick than previously thought.

A new study finds binge-eating disorder lasts years rather than months in many people, and relapse is common.

Those with the disorder are often unable to control their eating and consume large quantities of food in one session.

Researchers followed 137 patients -- 19 to 74 years old -- and found 61% were still binge eating two and a half years after their initial diagnosis and 45% were battling the disorder five years later.

Most of the participants continued to experience episodes even after that point, but many showed significant improvements.

The lead author says, “It's very important to understand how long binge-eating disorder lasts and how likely people are to relapse so that we can better provide better care.”

While previous studies have suggested remission could be achieved in a shorter period of time, the researchers say those investigations were smaller and tended to focus on adolescent girls.

Source: Psychological Medicine